


Seven Minutes

by vvitchering (Witchering)



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Awkward Kissing, Crushes, M/M, Not Beta Read, Peer Pressure, Seven Minutes In Heaven Game, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Trapped In A Closet, Young Witchers (The Witcher)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29473131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witchering/pseuds/vvitchering
Summary: There was no name for the game, which made Eskel suspicious. Two people went into the closet together and sat in the dark until they were told by the group that they could return. Whatever happened, happened. He was told it was fun. It sounded like an awkward and colossal waste of their precious downtime to him.
Relationships: Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Comments: 28
Kudos: 63





	Seven Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> This dumb thing has been sitting in my drafts, half finished, since November of last year. I've been fandom hopping and miserable with writer's block, so I thought finishing this would help me get back into the rhythm of things. Since it's been sitting so long, it may seem awkward in places where I picked it back up, but I hope I managed to smooth down the edges enough that it shouldn't be too awkward to read. I missed these two a lot.

There was no name for the game, which made Eskel suspicious. Two people went into the closet together and sat in the dark until they were told by the group that they could return. Whatever happened, happened. He was told it was fun. It sounded like an awkward and colossal waste of their precious downtime to him. Frank claimed it was perfectly legitimate and a right of passage and declared that Eskel would be the first participant to make up for his undeserved suspicion. The group whispered amongst themselves as they tried to decide who Eskel’s partner would be. 

It wasn’t much of a shock when Geralt was shoved forward as the second victim. Everyone knew that where one of them went, the other was sure to follow. His face was flushed and he seemed to be having trouble meeting Eskel’s eyes. They both knew the implications of this game. 

News from the world outside the walls of the keep didn’t often reach the ears of trainees such as themselves. Frivolous trends and amusements were even rarer. But occasionally a new boy would come to them, a bit older than was common, with precious stories and knowledge that would spread through the rest of them like wildfire. This new game had become incredibly popular seemingly overnight, not altogether surprising in a castle full of young men with few outlets besides fighting and studying. 

Geralt’s heart rate was elevated above normal and he smelled strangely as he and Eskel were herded into the closet. The sourness of his anxiety was tempered by something sweeter that Eskel could not identify, but bothered him nonetheless. He frowned in the semi-darkness. It was one thing to force him to participate in their antics, but to drag an unwilling Geralt into it was an offense Eskel wasn’t keen on humoring. 

“You alright?” he asked. 

Geralt made a noncommittal noise and shuffled his feet. They were both on the edge of being too large to fit in the space storage space. Geralt had finally hit his growth spurt and his limbs were becoming long and gangly. Eskel had hit his own a month or so earlier and it had been a source of playful teasing between them. Eskel savored the inches of height he still had on Geralt. His friend was sure to surpass him soon if his long awkward arms and legs were any indication of what his adult height would be. 

“We can just leave and kick their asses, if you want.” Eskel continued, feeling a bit claustrophobic himself. 

“Hmmm, ‘s okay.” Geralt finally said. “It doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you.”

And that was...not quite the response Eskel had been expecting. Sarcasm, laughter, anger, even, he could easily picture his friend expressing. This nonchalant, almost  _ shy _ acceptance threw Eskel for loop. Was it possible Geralt didn’t know what was expected of them while they were trapped together like this?

“It’s bothering you, isn’t it?” Geralt said, and the slightly forlorn tone in his voice sent Eskel reeling yet again. 

“No! No, I’m fine, but you know what we’re meant to be doing in here, right? They told you the rules?”

Eskel’s eyes hadn’t quite adjusted enough to make out Geralt’s face in the darkness, but his fondly exasperated eye roll was practically audible.

“I live under the same rock as you, wise guy.”

Eskel laughed, the familiar banter soothing his nerves. 

“And anyway,” Geralt continued, “We could sit here and twiddle our thumbs until the time runs out and no one would be the wiser.”

It was a perfectly sensible plan, but hearing it presented in Geralt’s smooth newly deepened voice made something clench painfully in Eskel’s chest. It felt like a rejection.

Seeming to take his silence for agreement, Geralt sighed and slid down against the wall he was braced against. Eskel mirrored him, though he felt slightly ridiculous, crouching in the dark like a child playing hide and seek. With his anger on Geralt’s behalf dissipated and the anticipation shattered, he was left feeling oddly bereft. 

They sat together in silence for a while. Eskel hadn’t been keeping track of the minutes and had no idea how long it would be until the door was opened. 

“Hey, Eskel.” 

“What?”

“Close your eyes.” Geralt said, pushing himself up and forward onto his knees so he was level Eskel’s face. 

“It’s already dark in here. Why?”

“Just close ‘em. Wanna try something.”

Eskel closed his eyes. He could practically hear their teacher’s fury as he violated the first rule all new witchers were taught:  _ Always be aware of your surroundings. Never lower your guard. Trust no one and nothing but the swords on your backs.  _

He trusted Geralt more than he trusted himself, sometimes. It was no hardship to follow his instructions, rules and lessons be damned. For a few long moments, nothing happened and Eskel began to feel self conscious, kneeling on the ground with his eyes shut and his hands curled into loose fists on his thighs. Then, a calloused finger pressed lightly on his bottom lip and rubbed it gently. Eskel startled slightly as he realized Geralt had moved much closer. 

“Do you remember when we tried this before?”

Eskel could feel every word as they ghosted over his face and he shivered. He did remember. Stupid boyish dares. They’d ended up quickly pecking each other on the lips, chaste and embarrassed, to the delighted laughter of their cohorts. 

He knew if he opened his eyes he’d be met with a golden gaze as familiar as his own. He could picture Geralt’s face so clearly. Determined, regal, like the knights he idolized. The trials had leached most of the color from Geralt’s appearance, leaving him with bone white hair and an almost unnaturally pale complexion, but he was still vibrant in the ways that mattered. Handsome, Eskel realized, and he felt himself flush with the knowledge. 

“Do you want to try again?” Geralt asked quietly.

He did. More than anything. But the words stuck in his throat, threatening to choke him. His silence seemed to discourage Geralt, who sighed softly and moved away, his hands falling from Eskel’s face. 

“Ah, wait, I--” Eskel stuttered and tripped over his words, desperate to regain the closeness before it was gone. “Please.”

Geralt chuckled, not unkindly, and Eskel felt him lean back into his space. 

“Please what? Be specific.”

“ _ Please _ stop being an ass and kiss me already, you--” Eskel’s half desperate growl of frustration was cut short by the feeling of soft warm lips pressing against his own. Neither of them knew what they were doing, but Geralt was eager and Eskel felt helplessly drawn along in his wake. 

At first the kiss was an awkward fumbling of closed lips and bumped noses before Geralt suddenly huffed impatiently and tilted his face. The better angle saw them slotting together like puzzle pieces, becoming more confident and beginning to nibble and lick at each other. Eskel parted his lips slightly in a gasp and Geralt boldly seized the opportunity to finally deepen their kiss. The first touch of his tongue to the inside of Eskel’s mouth seemed to startle them both and they drew back from each other, panting. 

Eskel’s eyes flew open, suddenly desperate to see his friend. He could just make out the wide eyed expression of wonder on Geralt’s face, his hand drawn up to his lips like he was shocked at his own impulsiveness. He wanted to pull that hand away and reassure Geralt that it was appreciated, that he liked it, that he wanted  _ more _ , preferably right now this second, if he was amenable. 

The door to the closet flew open, causing both boys to squawk in surprise and slight pain as their sensitive eyes were flooded with light. 

“Times up, you two, so--holy shit! They actually did it!”

Eskel groaned and leaned back until his head connected with the wall with a thud. It seemed he’d been right to be suspicious as he caught the distinctive sound of coin changing hands. He chanced a look at Geralt and had to stifle his laugh at the expression of pure betrayal and indignation on his face. Melitele help whoever had organized all of this, Eskel thought, as Geralt shot to his feet and stalked out the door to start knocking heads. 

Ah well. Seven minutes well spent, regardless. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> On a scale of one to ten, how obvious is it that I have absolutely no idea what a kiss is supposed to be like? 😂
> 
> You can find me on twitter @vvitchering and on tumblr @djarining


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